New requirements mandate securing equipment in case of an accident in Emergency Vehicles like Fire Trucks and Ambulances: NFPA 1901-2009 states:
“14.1.11.2 All equipment not required to be used during an emergency response, with the exception of SCBA units, shall not be mounted in a driving or crew area unless it is contained in a fully enclosed and latched compartment capable of containing the contents when a 9 G force is applied in the longitudinal axis of the vehicle or a 3 G force is applied in any other direction, or the equipment is mounted in a bracket(s) that can contain the equipment when the equipment is subjected to those same forces.”
Currently available simple hanger hooks are used to hold equipment but do not secure the equipment against a vertical 3 G force or horizontal 9 G force. Latching mechanisms and compartments increase the time it takes for emergency crew members to access their radio headsets, and so are not preferred.
U.S. Pat. No. D468,192 shows a single hook member that bends to the left as it curves back to the stem, without any retainer or collinear annular fastener opening. U.S. Pat. No. D474,105 also shows a single hook member that bends to the left as it curves back to the stem, without any retainer or collinear annular fastener opening. U.S. Pat. No. D282,904 shows a flat simple hook with a safety latch. U.S. Pat. No. D380,665 shows a safety hook that multiply bent. U.S. Pat. No. D401,840 shows a double hook having a top hook that is not a retainer above a collinear fastener opening and a bottom hook below the collinear fastener opening that partially obstructs frontal access to the fastener opening. U.S. Pat. No. D408,723 shows a single hook with collinear fastener openings with frontal access to the fastener opening partially obstructed by the hook end. U.S. Pat. No. D584,134 shows a hook rotated ninety degrees from a plane of an annular fastener opening.
Therefore, a need exists for a hanger hook that can retain equipment against a vertical 3 G force and a horizontal 9 G force. A need also exists for a hanger hook that enables rapid access to the retained emergency equipment. A need exists for a hanger hook that is easy to install. A need exists for a hanger hook that can be manufactured in various sizes and strengths for retaining equipments of various masses. A need exists for a hanger hook design that can be adapted to retaining various types of strap, line, cable, cord, conduit, or filament in widely diverse applications.